Stuffed Monkey

Stuffed Monkey - how could I resist?

I found the recipe in 'English Food' by Jane Grigson, 1974.

My initial reaction was to wonder what on earth such

a recipe could be doing in the 'Teatime' section

along with cakes, scones, bread and buns.

Rest assured, no monkey was harmed in the making of this dish.

It is something of a mystery as to how it got such a name.

Jane Grigson got the recipe from a Jewish Cookbook

written by Florence Greenberg.

My interest was piqued, not least by the unusual name

and

also by the apparent simplicity of the dish.

Recipe

6 oz flour

Half tsp cinnamon

4 oz butter

4 oz soft brown sugar

1 egg, separated

Make a dough with the flour, cinnamon, butter, sugar and egg yolk, mix it as though making pastry.

Roll it out and cut into two rounds to fit into an 8 inch cake tin.

Fit the first round into the buttered tin.

1 1/2 oz butter

2 oz chopped peel

1 oz caster sugar

2 oz ground almonds

1 egg yolk

Melt the butter and then beat in all the other ingredients.

Spread the mixture over the pastry.

Cover with the second round.

Tuck the edges in neatly.

Brush with the egg white.

Bake at 190 C/375F for about 30 minutes.

Cool in the tin and then turn out carefully.

The outer case is crisp and flavoursome while the filling is almost marzipan-like,

 very dense, rich.

It is a fabulous teatime treat

or

a coffee-time treat.

Any time treat.

Indulge yourself!

Easy to make.

Stores well.

Tastes delicious.

Excellent!